Manley, Carpenters, Build Planter Boxes for National Hook-Up of Black Women Community Garden

JOLIET, Ill. – State Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, along with the Carpenters Local 174, replaced the raised garden planter boxes at the National Hook-Up of Black Women (NHBW) Joliet Chapter administrative office. The community garden serves the surrounding community, as well as to teach young people how to grow their own vegetables.

Located at 1705 Richards St., Joliet, Tyrone Upshaw, husband to NHBW Joliet Chapter President, Debra Upshaw, teaches children each year using about 15 raised planter boxes, in different sizes. The existing planter boxes had been made out of untreated wood, that had been painted, and had fallen into disrepair over the years.

Rep. Manley donated the treated wood and materials, and volunteers from the Carpenters Local 174, volunteered their time to reconstruct the boxes. The process involved first building new wood frames around the existing frames, so that the dirt would not spill when the old boxes were removed. The Carpenters are also building new child-sized picnic benches for the youth program.

“What Debra and Tyrone Upshaw are doing for their community through the National Hook-Up of Black Women, is empowering children to learn how to feed themselves, in addition to teaching them how to grow and tend to their plants,” Rep. Manley said. “It is an honor to play a small role in their great efforts. Also, thank you to the Carpenters Local 174, who we can always count on to help their community in this big way.”

The National Hook-Up of Black Women Joliet Chapter is a non-profit, 501c3 charitable community service organization dedicated to improving the lives of families through support of the arts, culture, health and human services programs, that serves the whole family.

NHBW membership reflects a rich diversity of women from varied business, professional and community disciplines and represents a broad constituency which crosses economic, social and educational levels. Membership is open to all women who are concerned about and committed to the mission and vision of the organization.

In addition to ongoing literacy and youth programs, the NHBW Joliet Chapter also hosts a weekly food pantry.

To learn more about the NHBW, visit www.NHBWJoliet.com.

Carpenters Local 174 was chartered April 17, 1897. Today, with the leadership and support of the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Local 174 represents nearly 2,500 skilled, trained and professional union carpenters.

The area of jurisdiction for Local 174 covers Will, Grundy, Kankakee, Iroquois, Kendall, Southern Kane, LaSalle, Marshall, Putnam, Bureau and Stark Counties in Illinois.

To learn more about Carpenters Local 174, visit www.Local174.org.